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Osmanthus Oolong by Providence Perfume Co (+ giveaway)

My first experience with a high quality oolong tea was two summers ago at the Tea Cup in Seattle. I wasn’t planning on tea shopping, but its charming storefront lured me in, and an hour later the very patient and knowledgeable staff were my new BFFs. Having been a longtime fan of jasmine green tea, I expressed interest in tea with a floral quality, and was very appropriately directed to their Green Dragon Oolong.

Oolong tea is made from the same plant as green and black teas, Camellia sinensi, the difference being oxidation of the leaves. Oolong is semi-oxidized, black tea is fully oxidized, and green is un-oxidized. This “middle tea” is grown in China and Taiwan, the most coveted being from their mountainous regions. My Tea Cup discovery, Green Dragon from Taiwan, is considered a High Mountain Oolong and possesses sweetness, complexity and a soft floral aspect. You can witness the large leaves unfold as the tea steeps, releasing its toasted floral notes.

The segue brewing here is that Providence Perfume Co’sOsmanthus Oolongis a perfume akin to the experience of drinking in the beautiful and soothing perfume of Green Dragon. Your skin and nose sip Osmanthus Oolong like a precious tea, as its aroma wafts tenderly and lasts well into the day.

Charna Ethier, creator of Providence Perfume Co, created the base of her oolong fragrance using a blend of black, green and roobois teas as well as tinctured apricots and peaches. Although these notes anchor the drydown with a fruity tannic infusion, they are very fluid throughout the composition, even from the opening. Yuzu and bergamot are in the topnotes as well, but added with sleight of hand. The citrus is barely perceptible but its presence allows for a sparkling beginning.

Just minutes into wearing Osmanthus Oolong, its fruity floral nature unfurls amidst the warm tea blend. It becomes fleshy and sensual with the peachiness of the osmanthus blossom which is heightened by the apricot and peach tinctures. I am continually mesmerized by the scent of osmnathus and its ability to be simultaneously dry and soft, fruity and balsamic. Champaca is another flower that embodies a similarly sophisticated dichotomy, and its presence creates a full-bodied heart along with rose otto and aglaia flower.

The heart also possesses another vital note which marries the tea aroma to the fruity floral melange; beeswax. Beeswax on its own exudes warmth and a honeyed sweetness of course. In Osmanthus Oolong it glides across the fragrance, all melted and smooth, like a resinous confection. As the drydown progresses, the beeswax melds into frankincense and copaiba balsam, finally evolving into a honeyed resinous perfume that is as beautiful as it is intoxicating.

If you would like to experienceOsmanthus Oolong, please leave a comment to be entered for a 1/2 oz bottle! You can get extra entries if you follow Providence Perfume Co on Facebook. Extra entries as well if you follow Scent Hive on Bloglovin, Twitter, Google Friend Connect,Facebook’s Networked Blogs, or subscribe to Scent Hive. Please let me know in your comment what you did so you get the entries you deserve! You have until Tuesday Nov.11th at 9pm PST to enter. Drawing now closed.

All Providence Perfume fragrances are 100% natural, made from plants, fruits, flowers and woods.

Osmanthus Oolong is available at ProvidencePerfume.com. $25 for a 5ml bottle, $68 for a 1/2 oz roller bottle, and $112 for a 1 oz spray.

Hi Trish, I’d love to enter this drawing. I already follow Providence Perfumes on FB…I will check out the Scent Hive blog network and twitter.
I have been intrigued by this fragrance and your review just amplified this quite a bit more!
Thanks so much!

I’m so excited that you’ve found Charna’s perfumes! Last summer I drove an hour to Providence expressly to try them. She’s so talented. She’s also a real sweetheart, generous with her knowledge both on her blog and on a natural perfume chat group.

Osmanthas and champaca are my two favorite florals, and I’ve always thought they’d blend well with tea and rooibus absolutes. so although I haven’t sampled this one I’m sure I’d love it.

I already follow Providence Perfume on FB, and I follow you on twitter and blogloving and subscribe to your blog.

Thanks for the chance to win such a generous giveaway, Charna! And thanks, Trish, for bringing Charna’s work to more people’s attention.

I love your description of this perfume. I recently spent some time with the PP website and have been meaning to go back and order some samples. I currently follow them on facebook and I just dif the FB networked blogs add for SH. Thanks so much for entering me in the draw for this tempting perfume.
Zee Boudreaux

There are many tea based perfumes out there, both in naturals and more conventional perfumes. Another favorite tea perfume of mine is DSH’s Bancha. I reviewed it a while back, it’s really beautiful as well.

Hi there,
I follow on Blogger and email. This sounds really interesting. I made a perfume based on tea tinctures but found that it really stained my skin…does this one leave any yellowy stain on the skin?
Thanks,
Laura

I’d love to try this perfume. I lived in Providence for just under a year, have been following Providence Perfumes for a while, and I love tea-inspired blends. I subscribe to your blog, am a fan of Providence Perfumes on Facebook, and I follow you on Bloglovin and Facebook. Thanks for the entries. Fingers crossed and nose poised in sweet anticipation. ;)

I’ve been interested in trying some of the Providence Perfumes ever since the MoM project – this would be a wonderful place to start (and what a generous giveaway!). I follow you with GoogleReader – such a great way to keep track of my favorite blogs. :)

My this sounds lovely! I love a rich, mysterious tea scent. I’ve been meaning to try Providence Perfume for awhile now. There’s just too much out there for one person to sniff!
Oh, and I’ve spent way too much (time & money) at the Tea Cup! I’m glad that they directed you to such a beautiful tea!

Hi Charna! I was just reading today about how the nervous system works and how we react to smells that register in our brain! I know we have discussed this in the forum but found it neat to read about it in this book I am enjoying on changes in our life! I believe that having the right scent to wear gives us a special boost to that feeling of calmness, peacefulness and joy in our lives! :)

Your fragrance sounds like it is wonderful! I would like the chance to win your fragrance and wear it! I surely would do a lovely write up on my blog!

Osmanthus Oolong as a tea is one of my favorites as I went on a perfect tea and osmanthus scent hunt a while back… and this one sounds wonderful! I subscribe to Scent Hive, follow on facebook, twitter, and also follow Providence Perfume on facebook =)

I subscribe to scenthive and love reading this blog. I enjoy Osmanthus scents and have had a beautiful experience wearing Ayala Moriel’s Kinmokusei and Mandy Aftel’s Parfum Prive. There is something so unique about the apricoty blossom and leathery combination that works on my skin. It is sexy and feminine without any lingering muskiness. It is great all year long but especially during summer and at crowded parties where the heat can go to your head.

Barbara,
Thank you so much for the kind words, I am so glad you enjoy Scent Hive :-)
I could not agree with you more about osmanthus. I too love its animalic/floral quality and lack of muskiness (a plus for me!) and I do think OO is a must-try for you!

What a lovely picture you chose. I’m definitely interested in this scent, and would like to thank you for your Vireo perfumes review. I ordered her Ashes of Roses and find it very lovely, especially its long, smoky dry down.

Bryan, thank you for the follows! That’s 3 entries for you. I wish you the best of luck in the drawing, and if you don’t win, I hope you get the chance to experience OO someday. Far and away my fave of the line.

Please enter me – I know a very tired working mom(not me) who’s in charge of 3 kids 1 neice, 1 nephew, 1 needful sister-in-law for a total of 6 kids (depends on the day of the week) who loves tea, and this would be for her. Pick me! (shameless plug).

Thank you for offering this giveaway – and your review sounds wonderful